The incidence of colorectal cancer among younger people has increased in recent times. More alarmingly, the majority of instances identified are in a late stage, and the exact cause of the tumors is unknown. There has never been a more crucial time to start thinking about a colonoscopy Beverly Hills.
According to the American Cancer Society’s latest data, there has been a rise in the proportion of colorectal cancer cases in individuals under the age of 55 from 11% to 20% between 1995 and 2019.
This indicates that around 273,800 of the 1.3 million Americans who had colorectal cancer in 2019 were under the age of 55.
According to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in 2017, individuals born after 1990, including both millennials and those in generation Z, have a two-fold increased chances of getting colon cancer and a four-fold increased chances of getting rectal cancer compared to those born in 1950.
The rate of increase in the numbers is frightening. According to a study that was published in JAMA in 2021, colorectal cancer would overtake lung cancer as the main cause of cancer fatalities in those aged 20 to 49 in just seven years.
According to Dr. Kimmie Ng, head of the Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Program at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, “This is in stark contrast to persons over the age of 50, who are eligible for screening, where rates and deaths from colorectal cancer have been continuously dropping for many decades.”
The most recent data also revealed a sharp increase in the proportion of colorectal cases in the United States with late-stage diagnoses, which increased to 60% in 2019 to 52% in the early 2000’s.
According to Ng, the majority of cancer diagnoses in younger patients are in advanced stages. The term “advanced” or “stage 4” cancer refers to cancer that frequently cannot be cured or does not completely disappear with treatment, but can occasionally be controlled.
“This specific type of cancer is particularly asymptomatic and can do so for a very long period,” said Dr. Folasade P. May, an associate professor of medicine at the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Disorders at the University of California, Los Angeles. Thus, the tumor may continue to develop and perhaps spread before someone experiences symptoms that would make them want to see a doctor or receive a colonoscopy Beverly Hills.
Younger folks may misdiagnose early symptoms as something different since they are still unaware that colorectal cancer can affect them, according to May.
Previous studies have revealed that young persons with colon cancer frequently receive an incorrect diagnosis.
May remarked, “I was taught that this was an old person’s sickness, more especially an old man’s disease, when I was preparing to be a doctor.” “We know that people in the prime of their lives are currently being affected.”
So why are younger people getting colon cancer more often?
These days, younger people leading more relaxed lifestyles than they used to, increased rates of obesity, and diets high in sugar and pre-made foods are all known lifestyle risk factors that likely contribute to the increase.
In an interview, Ng stated that there was more to it than just nutrition and lifestyle. Colorectal cancer affects a large number of young people who have very healthy lives and eat well.
According to the most recent data, diagnoses of colorectal cancer are most frequently made in:
- Native Alaskans – 88.5 per every 100,000
- American Indians – 46.0 per every 100,000
- African Americans – 41.7 per every 100,000
Every racial and ethnic group in the U.S. experienced an increase in colorectal cancer incidence from 2010 to 2019.
According to Phillip Daschner, the program director of the cancer immunology, hematology, and etiology Branch of the National Cancer Institute’s Division of Cancer Biology, genetics do play a part in a person’s risk of developing colorectal cancer, but they only make up about a quarter of cases in younger people.
“The remaining 75% of these instances fall into this group of uncertain causation,” he stated.
According to May, there are undoubtedly a number of various environmental features at play.
“We know it’s something in the environment that has driven this whole group to have higher rates when something is influencing people who have their birth years in common,” she added.
They have dubbed the phenomenon the “birth cohort.”
Researchers are investigating everything from antibiotics to plastics to stress as potential offenders, but it is still unclear what environmental factors outside lifestyle and diet are at work.
There may also be an environmental contaminant that hasn’t yet been connected to colorectal cancer.
In essence, Daschner remarked, “We don’t know why this is happening.”
What is a good time to get screened for colon cancer?
Although colorectal cancer is uncommon in those under 50, the recommended starting age for screening was adjusted from age 50 to age 45 in 2021.
The rise in occurrences among those aged below 55 cannot be linked to greater screening because the adjustment just occurred in the last few years, according to Ng. Increased screening cannot be the cause of an increase in diagnosis because a higher number of cases are being discovered at advanced stages.
“We would anticipate a higher diagnosis rate for localized instances if it were only a screening effect. But regrettably, that is not what we are seeing,” added Ng.
Ages 45 to 49 are when about 40 percent of colorectal cancers with young beginnings are discovered. The lower age of screening will enable cancer detection in this population. Yet, it’s still conceivable that cases that are being identified in people in their twenties and thirties may go undiagnosed until symptoms appear.
“It is crucial to do research to identify the underlying causes and risk factors. Young people who are at high risk must be identified and targeted for earlier screening, according to Ng.
It is time to start researching, “colonoscopy Beverly Hills.”
Colon Cancer Symptoms
Colorectal cancer’s most typical signs and symptoms include:
- Changes in bowel habits
- Unexpected weight loss
- Abdominal pain
- Blood in the stool.
- Trouble Breathing
- Exhaustion
- Anemia
Experts note that one of the difficulties for physicians is that some symptoms can match those of other illnesses. Any symptoms that manifest and don’t improve should be taken as a warning indication, especially if a person experiences multiple symptoms.
According to research,the survival rate for colon cancer over the course of 5 years is approximately 90% if detected early while the disease is still localized.
Contact Best Doctors for Colonoscopy Today!
If you have any digestive system symptoms or just want to get checked, it is critical that you get screened for colon cancer. When detected early, colon cancer is a highly treatable disease, and early detection is critical to a successful outcome.
Call (310) 271-1122 today to make an appointment with a medical professional at the Gastroenterology Institute of Southern California. Our experienced gastroenterologists will perform a thorough screening to detect any potential problems and guide you through the next steps in your care.
Don’t put it off until it’s too late. Make an appointment right away for a colonoscopy Beverly Hills to take control of your health and protect yourself from colon cancer.